Touch screen protector

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a touch screen protector for a hand held electronic device having a front face that includes a touch screen portion and a non-functional band. The touch screen protector of the invention comprises a plastic film having front and back sides, an outer perimeter that corresponds to that of the device, and a transparent window; a spacer provided along the outer perimeter of the plastic film surrounding the transparent window, having a thickness sufficient to space the plastic film near but not in contact with the touch screen portion; an exposed adhesive for removably mounting the protector upon the outer perimeter of the front face to form an enclosed air space between the transparent window of the plastic film, the spacer and the touch screen portion of the device; and a joining adhesive for adhering the spacer to the back side of the plastic film.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/352,196filed Jan. 17, 2012, which is a continuation-in-part of Internationalapplication PCT/US2011/051344 filed Sep. 13, 2011, which is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 13/160,404 filed Jun. 14, 2011, nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,044,942, and which claims the benefit of provisionalapplication 61/433,789, filed Jan. 18, 2011. The entire content of eachprior filed application is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a touch screen protector. In particular, itrelates to a touch screen protector that can be easily attached andremoved from a hand held electronic device that includes and is operableby a touch screen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the ever increasing popularity of the touch screen hand heldelectronic devices came the demand for effective touch screenprotectors. While the beautiful and glossy screen of touch screen handheld electronic devices such as iPad device looks great, in actual use,the amount of fingerprints left behind significantly damages theappearance and display quality of the screen. For this reason, thedevice is sold with a screen cleaning cloth. As frequent cleaning is notdesirable, various screen protecting devices have been suggested.

Several kinds of touch screen protector are currently available. TheZAGG INVISIBLESHIELD™ product is a glare reduction touch screenprotector. Its major drawback is the difficulty to apply the protectorto a hand held device. The anti-glare INCIPIO™ screen protector of trapsdust particles and bubbles even after meticulous cleaning andapplication. Other touch screen protectors currently available in themarket are also unsatisfactory to the consumers, as a result of theirtendency to trap air bubbles and dust, even with careful application.When in use, these touch screen protectors are in direct physicalcontact with the touch screen of the electronic device, either by staticor application of adhesives. In the latter scenario, when the screenprotectors are removed, diligent cleaning is needed to restore the touchscreen to its shining luster. JP 2002328613 relates to a cover sheetcomprising a transparent plastic film to protect a display screen, saidcover sheet having a spacer comprising countless dots on a surfaceopposite the aforesaid display screen. U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,837 relatesto a plastic film screen protector having a slightly roughened surfaceso that the majority of the film facing an electronic device screen doesnot substantially touch the screen. As a result, the roughened surfaceof the protector prevents interference patterns from arising when thefilm touches the screen.

None of these prior art devices has been found to be completelysuitable, such that there is a need in the industry for a touch screenprotector that is able to be installed easily and quickly withoutproblems of trapping air bubbles or dust. The touch screen protector ofthe present invention now satisfies this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a touch screen protector for a hand heldelectronic device having a front face that includes a touch screenportion and a non-functional band along the outer perimeter of the frontface. The protector comprises a plastic film and a spacer provided alongthe outer perimeter of the plastic film surrounding a transparent windowthat corresponds in size to the touch screen portion. In one embodimentof the present invention, the plastic film has front and back sides, anouter perimeter that corresponds to that of the front face of thedevice, and a transparent window which is continuously surrounded by thespacer. Preferably, the spacer has a thickness sufficient to space theplastic film near but not in contact with the touch screen portion. Inone preferred embodiment, the spacer has an exposed adhesive along itsouter perimeter for removably mounting the protector upon thenon-functional band of the front face of the device to form an enclosedair space between the transparent window of the plastic film, the spacerand the touch screen portion of the device. The transparent window ofthe touch screen protector of the invention can be pressed against thetouch screen portion for operation of the electronic device whilepreventing direct contact of a user's fingers with the touch screenportion and without producing visible interference patterns during use.The spacer has a thickness that is less than that of the plastic filmand generally is between about 0.05 and about 1 mm.

The exposed adhesive typically has an adhesive strength of 5-50 gramswhich is sufficient to releasably mount the protector (10) onto thedevice but which enables its removal without leaving adhesive residue onthe touch screen portion. One of the spacer (40) or plastic film (30)includes a joining adhesive for adhering together the spacer (40) andthe plastic film (30). The joining adhesive is located either on thesurface of the spacer that does not include the exposed adhesive or onthe back side of the plastic film (30) adjacent the spacer (40). Thejoining adhesive has an adhesive strength that is at least 5 times andpreferably is at least 10 times stronger than that of the exposedadhesive so that the spacer is not removed from the plastic film (30)when the protector is removed from the touch screen portion of the frontface of the device. Typically, the joining adhesive has an adhesivestrength of between 200-2000 grams.

Advantageously, the plastic film includes micro-particles adhered atleast to the front side of the transparent window in an amount effectivefor providing anti-glare and anti-static effects to the protector.Preferably, micro-particles are also present on the back side of theplastic film at a density which is sufficiently high to provide ananti-static effect without adversely affecting the quality of imagesviewed through the window. Advantageously, micro-particles are alsoprovided on the back side of the plastic film to prevent interferencepatterns from arising when the plastic film touches the touch screenportion of the device. For this purpose, the micro-particles cover morethan 5% up to 50% of the back side of the plastic film (30). Also, themicro-particles are preferably transparent.

In a preferred embodiment, the width of the spacer is selected toconform to or be within the non-functional band of the front face of thedevice so that the spacer does not interfere with the use of the touchscreen portion when the protector is adhesively mounted onto the device.

In another preferred embodiment, the joining adhesive is present as anadhesive strip that joins the spacer (40) to the plastic film (30). Forthis embodiment, the adhesive strip is preferably present on the spacer(40) on the surface opposite that which contains the exposed adhesive.The spacer itself or this adhesive strip may be opaque to provide theborder of the plastic film that surrounds the touch screen portion ofthe front face of the device. The plastic film has a thickness ofbetween 0.1 and 2 mm and may include an opaque band about its peripherythat receives the adhesive or the opaque adhesive strip. Morepreferably, the spacer comprises at least two strips; a first stripadhesively mounted upon the perimeter of the plastic film and a secondstrip adhesively mounted upon the first strip whereas the second stripsupports the exposed adhesive. The thickness of each strip is 0.05 to0.5 mm, preferably 0.07 to 0.18 mm.

More preferably, the at least two strips are joined by a joiningadhesive that securely holds the strips together and onto the plasticfilm. This adhesive is one that has stronger adhesiveness than theexposed adhesive which attaches the protector to the device. The exposedadhesive has sufficient adhesiveness to mount the protector onto thedevice but enables its removal without leaving adhesive residue on thedevice. As described herein, the joining adhesive has an adhesivestrength that is at least 5 times and is preferably at least 10 timesstronger than that of the exposed adhesive.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the touch screen protector of theinvention further comprises a backing member to protect the back side ofthe plastic film and the exposed adhesive of the spacer prior to use.Preferably, the backing member further includes a tab to assist inremoval of the backing member when mounting the protector on the device.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the touch screenprotector further comprises one or more alignment holes that match oneor more buttons on the electronic device to facilitate mounting of theprotector on the device.

Preferably, the touch screen portion of the device and the plastic filmof the touch screen protector are each substantially rectangular and thetouch screen is part of a telephone, reading device, music device,viewing device or navigation device such as iPhone, Nook, iPod, iPad,Droid, and GPS navigator.

The transparent window of the touch screen protector can be clear or canhave a coating that provides a matte effect or a privacy screen feature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-D are schematic diagrams of assembling a touch screen protectorof the invention with an iPad device;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the touch screen protector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an expanded partial sectional view of the touch screenprotector of FIG. 2 to illustrate the spacer; and

FIG. 4 is a back view of the touch screen protector with a portion ofthe backing member removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following definitions are used in this disclosure:

The term “near” as used herein means close in distance but not inphysical contact, preferably about or less than 1 mm apart.

The term “periphery” as used herein means the outermost part or regionwithin a precise boundary.

The term “non-functional band” as used herein means the area thatsurrounding the touch screen portion of the hand held electronic devicewhich is made of a different material or made of the same material asthe touch screen portion but is not touch sensitive.

The term “front face” of the device refers to the exposed surface of thedevice. The touch screen is generally made of a single glass sheet thatincludes the exposed surface for both the operable touch screen portionand the non-functional band around the perimeter of the touch screenportion.

The term “matte” as used herein means a surface finish which reflectsback only a small portion of the incident light shined upon it.

The term “anti-static” is used to mean that the plastic film does notgenerate static electricity when contacted or rubbed by the user.

The invention relates to a novel touch screen protector including aplastic film and a spacer provided along the outer perimeter of theplastic film. Unlike most of the prior art touch screen protectors whichare in direct physical contact with the touch screen, the touch screenprotector of the present invention does not touch the operable portionof the touch screen. Such portion is referred to herein as the “touchscreen portion.” This critical feature of the present invention makes itpossible for the screen protector to be 100% bubble free.

Although varying from device to device, the distance between the touchscreen protector and the touch screen portion of the hand held device isdetermined by the thickness of the spacer, which is less than that ofthe plastic film. In a preferred embodiment, the spacer of the presentinvention has a thickness that is less than that of the plastic film andis between about 0.05 and about 1 mm, and preferably about 0.05 to about0.15 mm. The spacing can be as small as possible provided that theprotector is not in contact with the touch screen portion when thedevice is not in use. The stiffness of the plastic film contributes tothe desired spacing as the stiffer the plastic is, the closer thespacing can be. In contrast, the plastic film should not be so stiff asto hinder the user's ability to operate the touch screen portion. Thepreferred dimensions and properties disclosed herein achieve thesefeatures.

The plastic film has front and back sides, an outer perimeter thatcorresponds to that of the device, and a transparent window. The lighttransmission of the transparent window is preferably 60%, morepreferably 75%, and most preferably 85%. In one preferred embodiment,the plastic film has a thickness of between about 0.15 and about 2 mmand includes an opaque band about its periphery.

The plastic film is sufficiently hard or stiff so that it does not bendor collapse under its own weight to contact the touch screen portionwhen the protector is applied onto the handheld device and the device isplaced horizontally on a flat surface. Preferably, the hardness of theplastic film is more than 1H, as assayed by Pencil Harness Test. Morepreferably, the hardness of the plastic film is more than 2 H. Mostpreferably, the hardness of the plastic film is more than 3 H. Theplastic film is also sufficiently thin to be elastic so that, to operatethe touch screen portion, all that is necessary is a gentle force from auser's finger to press any point of the transparent window of theplastic film against the touch screen portion of the hand held device.The plastic film can be made of any suitable transparent materialavailable. Preferably, the plastic film is made of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET).

The protector achieves the desired spacing without providingirregularities, bumps or other non-uniformities on the back side of theplastic film. The film instead is essentially smooth and utilizescoatings of micro-particles to achieve improved performance compared tothe touch screen protectors of the art.

In one embodiment, the plastic film is coated to have a “matte” oranti-glare effect. Surface treatment such as EZ-GLIDE™ surface treatmentfurther allows better touch screen portion maneuverability andeffectively reduces finger glide friction on the touch screen portion ofthe hand held device. Specifically, the EZ-GLIDE™ surface treatment is atechnology in which the front side of the screen protector, i.e., theside that contacts the hand, is provided with micro-particles thatreduce static effects and allows the hand to move smoothly on the frontside of the screen protector.

While prior film products that were to be handled by users may have beenconsidered to require a treatment to reduce electrostatic charges due torubbing contact, the present invention is at least partly based on thediscovery that the provision of an EZ-GLIDE™ micro-particle surfacetreatment on the back side of the plastic film, i.e., the side of thefilm facing the touch screen portion, prevents or avoids the generationof interference patterns (or Newton-rings) when the protector is pressedagainst the touch screen portion by the user's finger or fingers. Inaddition to this desirable anti-Newton ring effect, the EZ-GLIDE™micro-particle surface treatment on the back side of the plastic filmalso prevents or avoids producing static electricity effects between thescreen protector and the touch screen portion.

The micro-particles are not in physical contact with the touch screenportion unless the screen protector is pressed against the touch screenportion. As a result of the anti-static effects of the micro-particles,the screen protector will quickly bounce back or pull away from thetouch screen portion once it is no longer pressed against it. Themicro-particles on the back side of the plastic film can be of variousshapes, such as the column shape and the wave shape. The density ofmicro-particles are optimized such that they are high enough forproviding anti-static effects but not too high as to adversely affectthe quality of images that are viewed through the window. Preferably,the micro-particles cover more than 5% of the film. More preferably, themicro particles cover more than 8% of the film. Most preferably, themicro-particles cover more than 10% of the film. If desired, the entirefilm of the protector can be covered with micro-particles, but goodresults can also be achieved if only up to 50% of the entire film iscovered. The micro-particles can be made of any transparent materialcommonly known in the art. Preferably, the micro-particles are made ofPET so that they are compatible with the film material. It is mostpreferable for the film of the screen protector of the present inventionto include micro-particles on both sides so that both the front and backsurfaces of the film do not generate static electricity during use.

The touch screen of most electronic devices has a non-functional band,which creates a perimeter border. The screen protector of the presentinvention is designed so that the spacer can adhere to this border suchthat the transparent window enables the full operative portion of thetouch screen portion to be used. The opaque band on the plastic filmmore or less corresponds to the non-functional band of the front face ofthe device. This is a useful advantage when manufacturing the product,as a separate pigmenting or coloring step on the film is not needed. Toassure that the operative touch screen portion is not hindered, thespacer has a thickness that is less than that of the border whereverpossible. To do this, the spacer has a width that is 1 to 2 mm less thanthat of the opaque band. Thus, when the spacer is properly applied alongthe outer perimeter onto the back side of the plastic film, it surroundsthe transparent window but does not touch the latter, thus facilitatingproper operation of the touch screen portion.

For devices that have non-functional boundaries that are not uniform,e.g., the iPod Touch, the spacer of the protector can be configured inthe same manner. It is also possible, although not preferred, to includethe spacer only upon a portion of the perimeter, such as on top andbottom of a rectangular protector when the side boundaries of the touchscreen are very small so that the protector can be mounted on the devicewithout blocking or interfering with the functional touch screen portionof the device.

When the touch screen of the device has a non-functional band about itsperimeter, the width of the spacer is preferably selected to conform tothe width of the band so that the spacer does not interfere with the useof the touch screen portion when the protector is adhesively mountedonto the device. The spacer has a thickness sufficient to space theplastic film near but not in contact with the touch screen portion. Thespacer also has an exposed adhesive for removably mounting the protectorupon the outer perimeter of the touch screen to form an enclosed airspace between the transparent window of the plastic film, the spacer andthe touch screen portion of the device. The exposed adhesive hassufficient adhesiveness to mount the protector onto the device butenables its removal without leaving adhesive residue on the device.Preferably, the exposed adhesive has an adhesive strength of 5-50 grams.Various adhesives of this type are commercially available and a skilledartisan can select the particular adhesive for the specific applicationof the protector to any particular device. An adhesive that allows forrepeated cleaning and re-application is preferred so that the screenprotector can be washed and reapplied repeatedly. Any commercialavailable washable and reusable adhesives can be used, such as adhesivesmade of silica, acrylics and polyurethane (PU).

As noted, the spacer preferably includes at least one opaque adhesivestrip that is applied onto the back side of the plastic film, preferablyreceived by the opaque band of the plastic film. In addition, the spacermay include at least two strips with the first strip adhesively mountedupon the perimeter of the plastic film and the second strip adhesivelymounted upon the first strip whereas the second strip supports theexposed adhesive. The adhesive that is used to mount the spacer to theplastic film and the adhesive that is used to mount the first and secondstrips together could be any commercially available adhesives forjoining plastic films together. Preferably, these adhesives have anadhesive strength of 200-2000 grams, which adhesive strength is at least5 times and preferably is at least 10 times stronger than that of theexposed adhesive which attaches the protector to the device because thespacer is not intended to be removed from the plastic film. This assuresthat the spacer is removed together with the film when the latter isremoved from the screen as the spacer is held upon the film with agreater strength than the spacer is held on the screen. The provision ofan inner strip that can contain the stronger adhesive on both sideswhile the outer strip contains the weaker adhesive that eventuallycontacts the touch screen on one side facilitates the manufacture of theprotection device.

Preferably, the touch screen protector of the invention also comprises abacking member to protect the back side of the plastic film and theexposed adhesive of the spacer. The backing member may further include atab to assist in the removal of the backing member when mounting theprotector. By grasping and pulling on the tab, the backing member iseasily removed from the protector to enable it to be mounted upon thedevice by contact of the exposed adhesive to the non-functional borderof the touch screen of the device.

As many of these types of electronic devices includes one or moreoperational buttons on the touch screen operative portion or border forperforming functions such as on-off-switching between internet browsers,photos, music or e-mail, the touch screen protector of the invention mayfurther comprise one or more holes that match the one or more buttons onthe electronic device. In addition to exposing the buttons for ease ofoperation, these holes act as alignment features to facilitate propermounting of the plastic film on the touch screen.

Although the touch screen protector can be of any shape, they arepreferably substantially rectangular to conform to the shape of currenthandheld devices, and most of those devices have a substantiallyrectangular shape. In particular, the shape of the protector is notexactly rectangular as the corners are rounded to match those of thedevices. Thus, the touch screen protector can be used to protect touchscreens of many different kinds of handheld electronic devices, such asa mobile telephone, reading device, music device, viewing device ornavigation device. Examples of such devices are iPhone, Nook, iPod,iPad, Droid, and GPS navigation systems. The nature of the protector andits design enable specific embodiments to be adapted to conform to thetouch screen of any such device.

The touch screen protector of the present invention has the advantage ofbeing able to be installed easily and quickly, e.g., within 30 secondsor less. Because the installation process is so quick, when properlyapplied, no dust will be trapped in between the touch screen portion ofthe hand held electronic device and the touch screen protector. As thetouch screen protector of the present invention is to be gently appliedto the non-functional border that typically surrounds the touch screenportion of a hand held device, there is no concern for leaving gluetraces on the touch screen portion. Thus, the touch screen protector ofthe invention can be easily and readily removed without any adverseeffect on the appearance and display quality of the touch screen portionof the hand held device.

Advantageously, when the hand held device is protected by the touchscreen protector of the invention, there are no fingerprint smudges onthe touch screen portion, no decrease in the quality of the display, andno decrease in the touch response of the screen. It would even allow theuse of a capacitive stylus when using art applications on the hand helddevice.

In addition, the touch screen protector of the present invention alsoreduces the glare of a glossy touch screen portion. As a result, thephotos on the touch screen portion look like prints. There is virtuallyno effect on the crispness of the touch screen portion even though theglare is completely removed. Owing to the absolute finger printresistance feature of the touch screen protector of the presentinvention, it completely resolves the issue of smudge of the touchscreen portion.

EXAMPLES Example 1: Protecting an iPad

The protector of the invention may be made for use with Apple's iPad asan anti-reflective screen protector specifically designed to protectiPad's touch screen while reducing fingerprint smudging. The protectorcan be installed in seconds without any air bubbles, unlike other screenprotectors that require tedious installation procedures and often resultin unwanted air bubbles or hinder touch screen performance. As shown inthe schematic diagrams of FIGS. 1A-D, the installation procedure is asfollows. First, the screen of the iPad is cleaned by using themicrofiber cloth included in the package to wipe away any dust particleson the iPad screen (FIG. 1A). Second, the backing member is peeled offgently before applying the plastic film to the non-functional boundaryof the iPad screen (FIG. 1B). Third, the protector is aligned startingat the bottom, with the circular opening of the protector placed overiPad's “home” button (FIG. 1C). Finally, gentle pressure is appliedaround the borders of the protector so that it is secured in place onthe iPad (FIG. 1D).

Further details of the protector and its construction are shown in FIGS.2 to 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the protector 10 is generally rectangularand has an opaque band 15 around its perimeter. The band essentiallyconforms to the non-functional band that surrounds the touch screen ofthe iPad, while the transparent window 20 corresponds to the functionalportion of the touch screen of the iPad. The protector includes a hole25 that corresponds to the on-off selector button of the iPad. Thespacer is on the back side of the plastic film and is not visible due tothe presence of the opaque band.

FIG. 3 is an expanded cross-sectional view of the spacer. The plasticfilm is shown as 30 with the opaque band shown as 35. The spacer isshown as 40 and it includes the first strip 42 adhered to the plasticfilm 30 by adhesive 44, and the second strip 46 adhered to the firststrip 42 by adhesive 48. The exposed adhesive 50 is shown on the spacer.

FIG. 4 is a view of the back side of the protector 10 as the backingmember 65 is being removed for application of the protector to the iPad.As shown, tab member 60 has been pulled to detach backing member 65 fromspacer 50, thus showing the inside surface 62 of the backing member andthe back side of the plastic film 30 behind the transparent window aswell as the exposed adhesive 50 of the spacer. The backing member 65 iscompletely removed before the protector 10 is applied to the iPad.

As the screen protector does not touch the touch screen portion of theiPad, it can be easily removed without leaving any residue on the touchscreen portion. The adhesive also does not leave any residue on thenon-functional border due to its relatively low adhesivity. The touchscreen protector provide excellent touch screen portion maneuverabilityand scratch/smudge resistance while retaining optimal touch screenportion sensitivity and feedback.

Example 2: Protecting an iPhone 4

Another protector can be specifically adapted for Apple's iPhone 4 touchscreen. The protector is sized to conform to the touch screen and isapplied in a similar manner as for the iPad. First, the iPhone 4 iscleaned by using the microfiber cloth included in the package to wipeaway any dust particles on the iPhone 4's screen. Second, theprotector's backing member is peeled off gently before applying theplastic film to the boundaries of the iPhone touch screen. Third, theprotector is properly aligned on top of the iPhone touch screen.Finally, pressure is gently applied around the borders of the protectorto secure it in place. Again, the touch screen protector providesexcellent touch screen portion maneuverability and scratch/smudgeresistance while retaining optimal touch screen portion sensitivity andfeedback.

Example 3: Plastic Films for the Touch Screen Protectors

The plastic films are made with the following specifications:

Structure HC (Matt) --- PET (188 μm) --- HC (Matt) Total lighttransmittal ≥89.0% Haze 10.5 ± 2.0% Pencil Hardness ≥3H Steel woolabrasion test No scratches Adhesion 0% Peel Wetting tension test ≥33mN/m Foreign matter contaminations Diameter < 0.2 mm (ignored) Diameter≥ 0.2 mm (≤0.5/m²) Scratch None (W ≥ 0.1 mm & L ≥ 1.5 mm)

To ensure the quality of the film, several tests such as cross cut tapetest are carried out as follows:

First, cut the surface of the film with utility knife horizontally andvertically for 11 lines each to make one hundred 1 mm×1 mm squares onthe film. Then, apply more than 20 mm long Nichiban Celofan Tape(Nichiban No. 405) on the cut surface and press with finger. Afterwards,pick up the tape end and remove the tape to 60° angle/0.5-1 mm to see ifany coating comes off.

In both Examples 1 and 2, the protector can be removed for cleaning andre-application as necessary. The protector can be cleaned by rinsingwith water and air drying. Small amounts of dishwashing detergent can beapplied if necessary. Any debris or dust caught on the touch screenportion can be first brushed away. Once done rinsing, the protector isplaced, adhesive side up, onto a towel and allowed to air dry. After itis completely dry and clean, it can be reapplied to the device.

What is claimed is:
 1. A touch screen protector for a hand heldelectronic device having a front face that includes a touch screenportion and an outer perimeter: the touchscreen protector comprisingfront and back sides, an outer perimeter that corresponds to that of thedevice, and a transparent window that corresponds in size to the touchscreen portion; and the touchscreen protector further comprising aspacer provided along the outer perimeter and continuously surroundingthe transparent window, having a thickness sufficient to space theprotector near but not in contact with the touch screen portion, and anexposed adhesive for removably mounting the protector upon the outerperimeter of the front face to form an enclosed air space between thetransparent window, the spacer and the touch screen portion of thedevice; wherein the window can be pressed against the touch screenportion for operation of the electronic device while preventing directcontact of a user's fingers with the touch screen portion and withoutproducing visible interference patterns during use, wherein the spacerconsists only of the adhesive and optionally an opaque band, and whereinmicro-particles are present on the back side of the protector sufficientto avoid the generation of interference patterns when the protector ispressed against the touch screen portion.
 2. The touch screen protectorof claim 1, wherein the spacer has a thickness that is less than that ofthe window and is between about 0.05 and about 1 mm.
 3. The touch screenprotector of claim 1, wherein the protector includes an opaque bandabout its periphery.
 4. The touch screen protector of claim 1, whereinthe protector also includes micro-particles adhered to the front side ofthe window in an amount effective for providing anti-glare andanti-static effects to the window.
 5. The touch screen protector ofclaim 1, which further comprises a backing member to protect the backside of the protector and the exposed adhesive of the spacer prior touse.
 6. The touch screen protector of claim 1, which further comprisesone or more alignment holes that match one or more buttons on theelectronic device to facilitate mounting of the protector on the device.7. The touch screen protector of claim 1, wherein the touch screen ofthe device and the protector are each substantially rectangular and thetouch screen is part of a telephone, reading device, music device,viewing device or navigation device.
 8. The touch screen protector ofclaim 1, wherein the transparent window is clear but includes a coatingthat provides a matte effect or a privacy screen feature.
 9. The touchscreen protector of claim 1, wherein the micro-particles cover more than5% up to 50% of the back side of the protector.
 10. The touch screenprotector of claim 1, wherein the micro-particles are formed from atransparent material that is compatible with the protector.
 11. Thetouch screen protector of claim 10, wherein the micro-particles areformed from polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
 12. A touch screenprotector for a hand held electronic device having a front face thatincludes a touch screen portion and an outer perimeter: the touchscreenprotector comprising front and back sides, an outer perimeter thatcorresponds to that of the device, and a transparent window thatcorresponds in size to the touch screen portion; and the touchscreenprotector further comprising a spacer provided along the outer perimeterand continuously surrounding the transparent window, having a thicknesssufficient to space the protector near but not in contact with the touchscreen portion, and an exposed adhesive for removably mounting theprotector upon the outer perimeter of the front face to form an enclosedair space between the transparent window, the spacer and the touchscreen portion of the device; wherein the window can be pressed againstthe touch screen portion for operation of the electronic device whilepreventing direct contact of a user's fingers with the touch screenportion and without producing visible interference patterns during use,wherein the exposed adhesive has sufficient adhesiveness to mount theprotector onto the device but to enable easy removal and re-applicationof the protector without leaving adhesive residue on the device, andwherein micro-particles are present on the back side of the protectorsufficient to avoid the generation of interference patterns when theprotector is pressed against the touch screen portion.
 13. The touchscreen protector of claim 12, wherein the spacer has a thickness that isless than that of the window and is between about 0.05 and about 1 mm.14. The touch screen protector of claim 12, wherein the protectorincludes an opaque band about its periphery.
 15. The touch screenprotector of claim 12, wherein the protector also includesmicro-particles adhered to the front side of the window in an amounteffective for providing anti-glare and anti-static effects to thewindow.
 16. The touch screen protector of claim 12, which furthercomprises a backing member to protect the back side of the protector andthe exposed adhesive of the spacer prior to use.
 17. The touch screenprotector of claim 12, which further comprises one or more alignmentholes that match one or more buttons on the electronic device tofacilitate mounting of the protector on the device.
 18. The touch screenprotector of claim 12, wherein the touch screen of the device and theprotector are each substantially rectangular and the touch screen ispart of a telephone, reading device, music device, viewing device ornavigation device.
 19. The touch screen protector of claim 12, whereinthe transparent window is clear but includes a coating that provides amatte effect or a privacy screen feature.
 20. The touch screen protectorof claim 12, wherein the micro-particles cover more than 5% up to 50% ofthe back side of the protector.
 21. The touch screen protector of claim12, wherein the micro-particles are formed from a transparent materialthat is compatible with the protector.
 22. The touch screen protector ofclaim 21, wherein the micro-particles are formed from polyethyleneterephthalate (PET).